The conventional progressive wisdom is that the Trump Administration will be bad for cities and for transit users. But in recent decades, a unified Republican government has been better for public transit than a divided government.

An efficient and equitable transport system must be diverse to serve diverse travel demands. Planners need better tools to quantify and communicate the benefits of walking, cycling and public transit to sometimes skeptical decision makers.

Downtown Baltimore Banking on Bookstore

<p>Construction of a new university bookstore in downtown Baltimore is seen as a critical piece of the downtown's rebirth. City officials are looking at offering tax incentives to ensure the bookstore deals comes through.</p>

"To city officials, this half a block in the 400 block of W. Baltimore St. is a critical piece for revitalization, a bridge between the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus to the west and the Hippodrome Theatre and Starbucks to the east."

"And so the city is pressing the university to put a planned student bookstore, to be managed by Barnes & Noble, at the northeast corner of Baltimore and Paca streets, a move officials hope will inject more energy and visibility to an area undergoing a slow transformation."

"Brodie said the city is looking at offering the university financial incentives, such as low-interest loans, to make the deal more economically viable."

"The new bookstore would have about 10,000 square feet and primarily function as a university store with textbooks but will also include books for the larger community, and likely a cafe section, said Hill. The project is several years from completion.'

"'We view the opportunity for a community bookstore in the heart of a thriving university district as important to the west side today as the Hippodrome and Centerpoint were just a few years back,' Frank said. 'Building a retail Barnes & Noble represents a unique opportunity to accelerate the transformation of the neighborhood that surrounds UMB's campus.'"

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